The Alangu Mastiff is a rare dog breed from
Southern India, from the Thanjavur and Tiruchi districts. They
are used as fighting dogs in Pakistan and are excellent guard
dogs.
Appearance
This is a tall breed with a noble carriage and short coat. The
dogs may be red, fawn or brindle, markings vary. The muzzle
is black and the skin around their neck and mouth is loose.
The brisket is deep, and the limbs are well muscled. The back
is long with the tail tapering to a fine point. The ears are
set high on the skull and pricked. It has a long and graceful
stride. Their height varies between 73,6 to 76,2 cm. (29-30
inches).
Temperament
These dogs are known to be aggressive and protective, having
a strong guarding instinct.
History
The Persian Army used Indian mastiffs, but just for guarding
and were introduced into Greece by Xerxes the First when he
marched towards this country in 486-465 B.C..
The Indian Mastiff originated in and around the desert area
of Kutch, the Rajasthan area and Bhawalpur area of Punjab. A
part of the Kutch area in Rajasthan was under the Sindh District
and so the other name of this breed is Sindh Mastiff. Alongside
the Kumaon Mastiff, the Indian Mastiff were used for hunting
large games. A sudden change in the hunting practises saw the
Indian Royal families to use cheetahs for hunting instead. This
changed the Indian Mastiffs job to guard dogs and dogs used
for fighting instead. With time most people forgot the breeds
and the Indian Mastiff became rare. The people who used the
Indian Mastiffs to fight dropped its height a couple of inches
for performance sake. Its height was originally, 30-34 inches
(76,2 - 86,3 cm), but as 150 years has passed the height of
the breed has dwindled to 29-30 inches (73,6 - 76,2 cm).
The Indian Mastiff are used as fighting dogs in Pakistan, where
they then are called Bully Kutta, alongside the proper Bully
Kutta, since most Pakistani dog fighters are accustomed to calling
all Mastiff breeds used for fighting Bully Kutta. The Indian
Mastiff are still used in Pakistan as excellent Fighting Dogs
and also as one of the most dangerous guard dogs, known to excel
the true Bully Kutta.